Mission Misfire
by dantsolo
Summary: Han and Leia journey to Ord Mantell while Han prepares to let Leia know how he feels about her. Prequel to my fanfiction "Foreign Territory, in a series of 3 called "Reversal."
1. Chapter 1

Hi, I'm back :) I hope you enjoy this story, which takes place before ESB and is a prequel to my other fic, Foreign Territory.

Mission Misfire

By Dant Solo

Han Solo gazed out the cockpit viewport of the Millennium Falcon, an excited sense of anticipation buzzing through him like a Chandrillian nesting fly. He had just propelled his beloved ship into hyperspace on a course for Ord Mantell. Starlines streaked past the viewport in time with his mood. In three years, he had run many missions for the Rebel Alliance and, for the most part, they all began with a sense of resignation.

But this mission was different. Han was hoping that this particular mission would bring an element of pleasure to the business at hand.

The cockpit door slid open and the center of his thoughts entered and took the co-pilot's seat next to him. Princess Leia Organa looked particularly small sitting in the chair that usually held a massive Wookiee. As she checked the readouts before her, Han took the opportunity to appraise her surreptitiously. She was dressed as a typical spacer: tight-fitting black pants with utility pockets, a plain black shirt, and a short, dark gray jacket. Her braids were looped on each side of her lovely face and Han marveled at the fact that she could make such a simple outfit look so good.

She caught him openly staring and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Jolted from his thoughts, Han shook his head self-consciously. "Nothin'." He pretended to check the coordinates on the navicomputer.

For the first time in a long time, Han and the Princess would be completely alone. This mission, which would last for several days, consisted of only them. No Luke, no Chewie. Not even a droid to get in the way. Han hadn't been able to accept the assignment fast enough. Not that he had to worry. Most of the pilots were completely intimidated by Princess Leia Organa.

For almost three years, the tempestuous friendship between them had often been strained at best. But from the start, Han had felt an intense attraction to the young woman at his side. He had initially believed that, as a Princess, she wouldn't possibly give him the time of day.

She was clearly use to being respected and obeyed…which instantly rankled Han. He had no respect for authority. And he made that clear to her from day one. His sarcasm and hostility marked their interactions from then on.

Gradually, he had realized that the attraction was more than just that. He was slow to admit it to himself, but he genuinely cared about Leia. For a time, it made him resent her even more. But then it occurred to him…if his reactions to her were so volatile because he had feelings for her…then perhaps her extreme responses were due to the same reason.

It was said that there was a fine line between love and hate. And there were certainly times when Leia appeared to hate him.

Eventually, he had lightened up on her, scaling back his biting tongue. She seemed suspicious at first. Then, slowly, Leia began to relax around him, just a bit. And lately, he had noticed a softening to her. He kept catching her looking at him when he was occupied with some task or another. And when he met her eyes she would quickly look away, feigning indifference. He was starting to believe that maybe, just maybe, she had feelings similar to his.

So, he had decided to stay with the Alliance. At times, he couldn't believe he had stayed this long already. Three years had gone by in a flash. At first he had told himself he was only there for the easy money. When that reason didn't cut it anymore, he decided it had a lot to do with Luke. But, when it came down to it, Leia was the main reason.

He had spent three years telling her he was going to leave. He now realized what a mistake he had made. Why would she take him seriously when she expected him to leave at any moment? Deep down, he had known his words were all bluster. Immediately after the medal ceremony on Yavin, Han had decided to stick around. Back then, he hadn't imagined he had a shot with her. Had he thought differently, he might have taken a more opposite approach with her.

Taking into consideration Leia's responses to him of late, he now set his mind on a more honest approach. He didn't see himself leaving anytime soon. He really had no desire to, especially now that there seemed to be some hope that his desires might come to fruition. He would tell her he was staying indefinitely. Maybe that would win her over and something might come of this mutual attraction that she ferociously denied.

She swung the co-pilot's chair to face him and instantly won his attention. "I've never been to Ord Mantell. What should I expect?"

Her curt demeanor caught Han slightly off-guard. He had pleasure on his mind, not business. He fought to force his mind back on track. "Where we're going's not pretty," he warned. "You're lucky you've got me watching your back." _And your front_ , he added silently.

She rolled her eyes, but a tiny smile curved her lips. "Seriously, Solo."

Han shrugged. "It's a real den of scum. That's why we should stay on the Falcon."

"The docking bay is too far for us to worry about traveling. We have rooms waiting for us just outside Bar Shintok," she reminded him.

"You know I don't like sleeping anywhere but the Falcon."

"I'm well aware," Leia replied in a tone that implied she had heard it many times before. "But my mission, my rules."

Han smirked. "Yeah, your rules 'til you need me to save your skin."

She sat up straighter in her seat, assuming a haughty posture. "I can save my own skin. And even yours, Hotshot."

He knew she was referring to the incident on Nimbla 4. "Hey, I would've gotten myself out of that if you'd given me some time to think."

She raised an eyebrow. "Thinking doesn't seem to be your specialty."

Han grinned. There was a lightness to their bickering these days. Leia's tone was far more teasing than angry. He was enjoying it immensely. "Yeah, well, my thinking has gotten you out of plenty of jams, Your Highness."

She sighed. "About Ord Mantell?"

Han swiveled his seat back and forth, taking his time to reply. "Okay, Princess. The city of Bar Shintok is filled with mercenaries, bounty hunters, and plenty of other shady characters."

"So you'll be amongst friends," Leia quipped.

Han ignored the interruption. "But it doesn't have a strong Imperial presence, which makes it a good place to meet your contact. Of course, that's just one reason it attracts such good company," he added with sarcastic good nature.

Leia nodded, retrieved a datareader from her pocket, opened a file, and handed it to Han. "This is where we're meeting him."

Han looked down at the information. _The Sweet Spot_. He laughed. "Well, if that doesn't sound like a hole-in-the-wall dive, I don't know what does." He checked to see where it was located. "It's right on the waterfront," he informed her. "I know exactly where this is." The heart of hell. The Princess was in for a rude awakening.

"Good," she responded.  
"Tell me about this contact we're meeting."

"I'm meeting him. You're just going to sit there quietly." Her expression was challenging.

Didn't she know him better than that? "I'll sit there, but no promises on the quiet thing."

"Han, please." Her eyes and tone were sincere. "This man is a mole and he's very skittish. I need you to say as little as possible. Please."

He scowled. He had a sickening soft spot for the Princess' sincere use of the word 'please.' Of course, he would never admit that to her. "I'll try," he grumbled.

She stood abruptly. "I have to go read up on Ord Mantell before we arrive."

She turned to go but Han caught her hand. Any excuse to touch her. "Hold on. Sit down a second." When she turned back he dropped her hand from his.

Tossing him a quizzical look, Leia returned to sit in the copilot's chair.

He hesitated for a beat, uncertain how to begin. "I, uh, I've decided to stick around."

Leia tilted her head at an inquisitive angle, lips pursed in an unspoken question.

Han cleared his throat. "I mean, with the Alliance. I'm gonna stay. Indefinitely."

Leia responded with a small smile and Han could see she was pleased. "That's great, Han." Her voice was heartfelt. "You're a great asset to the Alliance."

Han set his jaw. Did it always have to be about the Alliance? Could it never be personal with her? "Yeah," he sneered. "I'm sure the Alliance will be real happy to hear it." He stood and stormed off, disgusted.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you so much for reading :) Hope you continue to like this...

Leia sat in the crew lounge, ostensibly reading from her datapad. What she was actually doing was thinking about Han.

He had decided to stay. She had been only mildly surprised by the warm glow that spread through her at the news. She tried to cover her reaction by assuring him that he was needed by the Alliance. Apparently, that was not the response he was hoping for. Although, Leia was not entirely sure exactly what reaction he _was_ hoping for.

They had actually been getting along. There was a quiet peace between them lately and Leia found that she was enjoying it quite a bit. The biting edge that normally pervaded his interactions with Leia was startlingly absent. His teasing was gentler, less harsh. She was surprised by the fact that she now enjoyed his company. At times, it concerned her that perhaps she enjoyed it a bit too much.

Leia had always thought Han was handsome. Almost as handsome as he thought he was. She smiled at the thought. Sometimes, his cocky attitude infuriated her. Other times, it could be almost endearing. But she would never let him know that.

Sometimes, when he was absorbed in some task, Leia's eyes would land on him and she wouldn't be able to look away. In those moments, she was mesmerized by his eyes, his lips, the scar on his chin. She didn't want to find him so damnably attractive, but she couldn't seem to help it. Occasionally, he caught her watching him. She would look away as quickly as possible, then vow not to stare at him anymore. Until the next time it happened.

It was unnerving. Han was the last man she wanted to be attracted to. He was rude, crass, callous, and irresponsible. And although he appeared to have mellowed recently, he had a history of deliberately provoking Leia to the limit of both her patience and temper.

Yet, sometimes, when he looked at her a certain way, or stood too close to her, or touched her hand…she felt a spark of pleasure that caused her to curse herself. She supposed that most women would have the same reaction to a good-looking man. But Leia had met many good-looking men and had never felt that spark before.

Han Solo was the most unsuitable man. And Leia had to stop thinking about him.

She wondered what had caused him to decide to stay on with the Rebellion. He never failed to remind her that he was only helping out the Rebels in order to earn enough money to pay back that Huttese crime lord. And once he had enough to pay off his debt, he would jet out of there and never look back. His almost constant implication was that it would happen any day now. For the past three years.

The thought of Han leaving had, for some reason, always bothered her. At first, she thought she was just irritated by his apathy to her cause. But the longer he stayed, the more she had to admit to herself that the thought of his departure actually brought her a sense of personal loss. There were so few people she trusted. She hated to lose even one.

She trusted Han Solo. The thought was both comforting and disturbing. Somewhere, between the fierce arguments and grudging moments of friendship, she had come to trust him. She wasn't quite sure how that had happened.

And now he was staying. Indefinitely.

Her eyes were drawn to Han's tall form as he swaggered into the lounge and took a seat at the computer console. He didn't look in her direction and Leia turned her gaze to the screen before her. She tried to focus, but the words were a meaningless jumble. She couldn't help but glance periodically at the way Han leaned back in his chair, his fingers moving deftly over the controls before him. His brow was furrowed as if he were either thinking hard or feeling aggravated. It was hard to tell which.

He gave his chair a quick spin and was suddenly facing Leia, staring back at her. Leia blinked several times before she was fully aware that he had caught her gazing directly at him. For a brief moment, they just looked at each other. Leia felt her cheeks grow warm and deliberately lowered her eyes to the datareader. She heard Han sigh noisily.

"ETA is four hours," he announced.

Flustered, she didn't look up, only nodded.

"I said," Han boomed. "ETA is four hours."

She recognized the familiar, caustic look on Han's face. It had been a while since she had seen it. "I heard you the first time," she said quietly.

He scowled at her. "Well, you didn't answer me. I thought Princesses had better manners than that."

Leia was filled with hurt and disappointment. She had begun to let her guard down with Han. Her hope that they had put the hostility behind them now dimmed. Posture rigid, she returned her attention back to the datareader and pretended to focus on it. After a few moments of silence, Han left the lounge without a word.

Leia closed her eyes and placed her head in her hand, uncertain as to why she felt so crestfallen.

###

Han pressed the button to activate the kaffe machine. He was angry at Leia and at himself.

What had he expected? For the Princess to fall into his arms and declare her undying love for him? His teeth clenched. Obviously, he hadn't expected that. But it would have been nice for her to acknowledge that _she_ was glad he was staying. That she cared even a little bit.

The thought that she might actually _not_ care nagged at him. Could he be imagining all the little signs that implied she had feelings for him? Could he be misreading her that much?

But, he had seen the fear on her face when she came to his rescue on Nimbla 4. She had been genuinely worried about him. He could feel her trembling when she hugged him in relief. It had melted him. He hadn't wanted to let her go. It had felt so good to hold her. That was the moment he finally admitted to himself that he wanted her. Truly wanted her, and not just in his bed.

He couldn't be wrong. She had to care about him. Why else would she be so affected when his life was in danger? And the spark between them whenever their gazes lingered a bit too long on each other… could that be his imagination?

He realized that the kaffe had been ready for quite some time but his thoughts had been too preoccupied with Leia for him to notice. He swiped a mug from the overhead cabinet and poured.

He didn't like feeling so uncertain. He was accustomed to being in control. He never cared for ambiguous situations. If he couldn't shoot it, fly it, or drink it, he hadn't seen the need to bother.

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. He didn't want to return to their previous antagonistic interactions. If he wanted to make any progress, he would have to swallow his pride.

He grabbed a second cup and filled it. With both cups in hand, he went in search of Leia.

She was sitting in the cockpit, staring at the starlines as they streaked by. She did not turn when the door slid open. Han wasn't surprised. Plastering a smile on his face, and hoping it appeared genuine, he offered her the mug. Her eyebrows rose in surprise then settled into their former impassive expression. She eyed the mug warily, as if perhaps Han had hidden a thermal detonator inside. Without a word, she took the mug and held it silently.

Han sat in his adjacent seat and sipped. "So," his voice boomed in the quiet cockpit. He winced inwardly and lowered his volume. "Tell me something about this spy we're meeting."

Leia examined the contents of her mug, took a slow sip then settled her gaze on Han, her expression guarded. "Commander Darin Rifkin."

Han's jaw dropped. "We're meeting a Commander? Of the Imperial Navy?"

She nodded cautiously.

Han was incredulous. "Are you crazy?" He watched as Leia's expression turned from leery to frigid.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." She placed the mug aside, sat back in her chair, and swiveled away from him.

He was blowing it and he knew it. He softened his tone. "I didn't mean it that way. It's just, how do you know you can trust this guy?"

"I know him. Very well," she said softly.

The way she said it, her gentle tone, distracted Han from the gravity of the discussion. After an extra beat, he asked, "How do you know him?"

Leia collected the mug and took a small sip of kaffe before she answered. "He's from Alderaan." Her eyes remained on the mug in her hands.

Han digested this information gradually. "Alderaan? I didn't think Alderaanians joined the Navy." They had been well-known as a peaceful people.

"I'm sure you didn't think Princesses joined the Rebellion either." She spoke softly but there was ice in her tone.

"You got me there," he muttered. "How do you know him so well?" He was more curious about the answer than he would ever admit.

She dismissed the question with a wave. "Darin has sacrificed a lot for the Rebellion. Most of his life, in fact."

Han could hear the quiet admiration in Leia's voice. A sour feeling settled in his stomach. "You're sure you can trust him?"

Leia looked at him levelly. "With my life."

As someone who had saved Leia's life many times over, he had never been on the receiving end of such awestruck reverence. He bit back a sarcastic retort.

Leia continued. "Darin has information that will provide us with key locations at the Imperial shipyards where detonators can be placed."

"Sabotage?"

Leia nodded. "The Empire is assembling a massive construction project to double their fleet."

Han thought for a moment. "How are we getting inside the shipyards?" Belatedly, he realized he had referred to the Rebels as 'we.' He was really getting soft. He never would have made such a slip in the past.

She smiled suddenly. "Great question, Solo. I have another meeting in a couple of days with someone else who's working on the inside. I'll be giving him the data."

Han was glad to see Leia's mood lifted. But, working with Imperials didn't sit well with him. "And how do you know you can trust that guy? Do you know him really well too?" The words came out a little sharper than intended.

"No. But, General Rieekan does. And I trust his judgement."

"Why doesn't this Darin guy just meet him?"

"Too risky. It's best if the two know nothing of each other."

"I don't like this," Han said grimly.

"You don't have to," Leia replied airily. "You just have to do your job."

"'My job' is to keep you safe. And I will take you out of there if I suspect something's up."

Leia remained calm. "Your job is to fly me to Ord Mantell and fly me back. I intend to keep myself safe."

"What am I?" Han asked good-naturedly. "A glorified hovercar service?"

"More or less." But she smiled and Han could see she was teasing him.

He grinned, relieved to have salvaged things with Leia. "I might have to start charging by the minute."

She smiled dimly then returned to stare out the viewport. Her eyes looked troubled and he had the distinct feeling that for once it was not because of him.

"You okay?" he asked with quiet concern.

For a few seconds, Leia's mind seemed to be elsewhere. Then her eyes at last turned to Han. "Yes, I'm fine."

He scrutinized her more closely. Something was definitely bothering her. He could see the tension around her eyes, the slight difference in her posture. She seemed weighted down. "Princess, I know you better than you think. What's going on?"

She lowered her gaze to the floor and her lips parted as if she were deciding what to say. "It's… sometimes difficult to see someone I knew on Alderaan," she whispered.

Han heard the pain in her voice and it hurt him a little bit too. He took her hand and squeezed it gently, trying not to selfishly think about how much he enjoyed holding her hand in his. Her heartache was familiar to him at this point. They had discussed it in the past, during rare moments of accord. Once, he had even held her and spoken whatever soft words of comfort he could muster while she cried. Han did not do well with tears.

He couldn't stand to see her hurting and had no idea what to say to ease her pain. She was so strong and proud that he mostly forgot that she had suffered an abominable loss.

She sighed and shook her head as if to clear it. "I'll be all right," she told him softly.

"I know you will be," he reassured. She always got by. It was part of what made Leia who she was. Adversity only made her stronger. He admired that about her.

All at once, she glanced down at their intertwined hands and straightened stiffly. Her cheeks turned pink and her gaze fell to the floor.

Han was puzzled as he observed Leia's reaction. For various reasons over the years, he had taken her hand: for comfort, for safety, to get her attention. Never had he noticed that it had any effect on her at all. Even though it always affected him.

Hope tugged at his heart. Surely, her reaction meant something. He watched her carefully as she disengaged her hand from his with an awkward, nervous gesture.

She cleared her throat. "I'm going to lie down for a bit. Please call me when we're ready to come out of hyperspace." She didn't wait for his reply before she rushed from the cockpit.

Han stared hard at the door sliding shut, wondering what would have happened had he kept her hand in his and pulled her closer. The temptation was always there; he had just never had the opportunity—or, for that matter, the genuine confidence—to go through with it.

But now, the opportunity might just present itself. And although doubts still lingered, he was finally gaining the determination. She was giving him more and more reasons to believe she would be open to his advances. He just had to figure out how to go about it. She was unlike other women he had known. He needed a subtle approach.

And subtlety was not Han Solo's strong suit.


	3. Chapter 3: The Night is Young

Here's where the fun begins... ;)

When the door slid open and Han and Leia surveyed the large, square-shaped room before them, Han thanked his good fortune.

"It was supposed to be a suite," Leia complained.

Han smirked. "It looks pretty sweet to me." He held in the laugh that bubbled within him.

Leia glared at him. "I'm going to ask for another room."

"Do you really want to call that much attention to us?" Han countered. A completely valid point that he selfishly exploited.

She couldn't argue so she crossed her arms over her chest and sighed.

Han dropped their travel packs to the floor and meandered to the one large cozy-looking double bed against the far wall. He sat down on it and smiled at Leia disarmingly. "Do you want to sleep on the left side or the right?"

In the past Leia would have seethed. But, now she approached him with a raised eyebrow and poked him in the chest with a finger. " _You_ will be sleeping on the sofa."

Her playful demeanor entranced Han. This woman captivated him like no other. She grabbed a pillow off the bed and thrust it at him. He had a crazy urge to pull her down on top of him. He watched her cross the room and enter the refresher.

Han sighed. _Time to get down to business,_ he thought. He began the task of checking the room for listening devices and other potential surveillance equipment. When he felt confident it was secure, he looked out the window for possible escape routes. Feeling prepared, he loped past the sofa, picked up the travelpacks, and placed them on the bench beside the door. He removed his blaster from its holster, checked the charge, and replaced it.

Leia returned, glanced at the lone bed with a sour look then rummaged through her travel pack. Han watched her as she removed some belongings and placed them on the table. The curve of her lips in profile made him want to kiss her…more than usual. These days he couldn't be near her without wanting to kiss her.

She turned to him, shaking him from his thoughts. "Let's go check out The Sweet Spot so we're ready for the meeting tomorrow."

Han bit the inside of his cheek and struggled to keep his composure. He lost the battle. "Yeah, I'd _love_ to check out The Sweet Spot."

Leia either did not get the joke or she ignored it. She glanced at the chrono. "It's probably not open yet. We should get something to eat first." She pulled the holdout blaster from her boot, checked the charge and replaced it again. Something about the sight of her with a blaster in hand was really hot. Maybe because it reminded him of the first time he saw her shoot, after she ripped the blast rifle from Luke's hand on the Death Star.

"We're going to dinner, just the two of us? Our first date," he teased, only half joking.

Leia rolled her eyes. "In your dreams."

She had no idea how true her statement was. He followed her out the door with high hopes.

###

As was his custom, Han's eyes darted about, efficiently noting every exit and pathway throughout the humungous tent that held the open marketplace. He was less than thrilled to force his way through the throng of vendors and potential customers. But, there was no other path to the downtown district.

With one hand on his blaster, he assessed everything. He estimated that the tent was about two miles in length, housing thousands of vendors. The clientele consisted of hundreds of species, some unfamiliar to even a well-traveled spacer such as Han. "Stay close to me," he said near Leia's ear. "Stop treating me like a Vitri Doll!" Her voice was irritated. Han smiled to himself. In spite of the fact that he was well aware that Leia could handle herself in any situation, he had always felt fiercely protective of her. Even on the Death Star, in the trash compactor, he had been concerned with keeping her safe. He hadn't even known her. Perhaps it was her diminutive size. And over the past three years, his concern for her safety had grown increasingly dire. On Nimbla IV, when she had risked her life for him, he had been terrified of anything happening to her. And her concern for him had been somewhat humbling, a feeling that was unfamiliar to Han. It had opened his eyes to the genuine possibility that she had feelings buried beneath the surface that mirrored his own. And after that, he couldn't fool himself into denying what he felt. He looked at Leia, walking by his side. Her features were soft and unguarded. He found her most beautiful in those moments. He noticed that her eyes darted from booth to booth as they passed, lighting with interest. He realized suddenly that this was the sort of thing that women truly enjoyed. And this was something she hadn't been able to indulge in for a very, very long time. It struck Han that Leia had once had many beautiful things, more than he could imagine. Although he had always known she had been a Princess, had lived in a palace and had every possible luxury, it hit him only now how completely opposite her life had become. She really had nothing. Three years ago she had truly lost everything in an instant. He suddenly had the most irresistible urge to give her something beautiful, something that she could cherish amidst all the death and misery that surrounded her every day. It was just wrong that a woman of such beauty and grace, who had once had the galaxy at her feet, was merely another soldier amongst the struggle against the Empire. And she fought as well as the best of them, often even more fiercely, refusing rest or even sustenance. She was tireless and Han suspected that she pushed herself so hard to not only prove herself among an army of mostly males, but to distract herself from all she had lost and was missing. As they approached a booth that sold jewelry, Han stopped for the first time since they had entered the tent. He feigned interest in a belt encrusted with fake jewels, pretending not to notice as Leia's eager gaze swept over the table of necklaces, bracelets, and rings. As she perused the brightly colored selection, she appeared to forget Han existed. He moved behind her to peer over her shoulder as she fingered a delicate gold necklace with dangling tendrils laced with sparkling blue and green gems. When she noticed his presence directly behind her, she turned with a self-conscious gesture. She drifted to the next booth and for once, Han did not follow closely at her side. Keeping one eye on Leia, Han turned to the vendor, a tall two-legged amphibian-looking male with large bulbous eyes and a wide smile. He had never before seen such a species. He inquired about the price and took pause for just a moment at the response. It was much more expensive than he had expected. He managed to haggle him down to something more agreeable, but still found the price exorbitant. He could've replaced the Falcon's screwy vector array with that sum. Grimly, Han handed over the credits and deftly slipped the necklace into his inside jacket pocket, just as Leia turned in search of him. He walked over to where she waited and she gave him a wry smile. "You've never struck me as the type who likes shopping." "I don't," he replied simply. "Let's go eat." His hand on her back ushered her in the direction of the downtown district. 


	4. Chapter 4

FrenchAnon, as you can see this fic is not over. That would have been a terrible ending LOL. Thank you, I'm happy you are enjoying it. Thank you to all readers :)

Leia closed her eyes and savored the taste of the spices that dazzled her senses. "Mmm. This is _so good._ " It had been such a long time since she had eaten real food that actually tasted good. She opened her eyes to find Han staring at her intently. Something fluttered nervously in her chest. "How is your Corellian sausage?"

Han seemed to jolt awake. "It's good," he said shortly before cutting another piece and appearing to concentrate really hard on chewing.

Leia sipped her berry juice. "I feel so guilty," she admitted.

"Why?" He looked at her as if she were crazy.

"Because we're on a very important mission and I really shouldn't be using my time or the credits on this delicious meal. It's a luxury." Normally, Leia ate whatever was quick and available and didn't think much about whether she would enjoy it or not. But, when Han had suggested the Intergalactic Chef, she had been famished and quickly agreed.

Han pointed a finger in her direction. "First of all, we gotta eat. Second, I would hardly call this place a luxury." His smile was sardonic. "And third, the Alliance isn't paying for this, I am." He jerked a thumb towards his chest and returned to his meal.

It took a moment for his last words to sink in. "Thank you, Han," she said with quiet sincerity.

He looked up from his plate and paused with his fork halfway to his mouth, looking suddenly uncomfortable. "No big deal," he muttered and resumed eating.

Leia watched as he downed the last of his Corellian Ale and signaled to the serving droid for another. Sometimes, Solo really surprised her. For the first time, she was beginning to feel a genuine friendship between them. They had always been grudging friends. One moment, she would feel a tight bond between them, the next he would challenge her to the point where they seemed to hate each other. She wasn't quite sure which was more unnerving. The current Han Solo, who was kind and thoughtful, stirred something within her that alternately beckoned and frightened her. The more familiar Han, who was brash, sarcastic, and claimed little loyalty to anyone, was somehow more comfortable in his predictability.

He met her eyes and she returned her gaze to the plate in front of her. She had to stop staring at him. "You sure you don't want something a little stronger?" he gestured toward her glass of juice. Leia shook her head. She had drunk alcohol with Han before, but never when they were alone. And with the way she was feeling lately, it seemed like a disastrous idea. She needed to keep her wits about her.

The serving droid arrived with his ale and they finished their meal in silence.

Han sat back and smiled. "That was great. Haven't had Corellian sausage in too long."

Leia was surprised that he had given her such a clear opening into his past. "Since you were last on Corellia?"

His smile quickly faded as he seemed to realize what he had done. "Nah, I've had it since then." His usual aloof demeanor reappeared as his eyes darted around the large room filled with noisy conversation.

Leia sighed mentally. No matter how long she knew Han, she expected he would never open up about his past. She and Luke had speculated a number of different scenarios to fill in the gaps about who Han Solo was. They ranged from serious to absurd. Perhaps his family had been killed and he had decided from then on that he would always be a loner? Maybe he was secretly the King of Corellia? Or came from a family of Vestruvian circus performers? She smiled to herself.

Han settled the bill and Leia thanked him once more. He shrugged it off and led her towards The Sweet Spot. The traffic on the street decreased in desirability but increased in population as they sank further into the most urban part of Bar Shintok.

Leia observed the beings as they passed, noting that most of them looked unpleasant or dangerous. As the crowd increased, she was taken aback when Han placed an arm around her shoulders. Her pulse quickened and she stiffened under his touch.

"What are you doing?" she asked sharply.

"We can't be too careful," he answered in a tight growl.

Warmth coursed through her and Leia tried to distract herself from the heat of Han's hand on her shoulder. The stress of this mission was proving to be very different from what she had expected.

###

Entering the Sweet Spot, Han's eyes adjusted to the dim, hazy lighting and his ears were assaulted by the pulsing bass of music. When he had adjusted to the semi-darkness, he noted that the haze was caused by various beings smoking a number of different illegal substances. The scents of these mingled in the air unpleasantly.

Now inside, Leia took a step away from him as quickly as possible. It irked him slightly.

The main chamber of the bar was a large, round room filled with various tables and chairs made for all types of species, big and small. A bar stood in the middle of the room in the shape of a semi-circle. Many different beings amassed in front of it, ordering and sipping beverages. There were two sub-chambers and Han registered them with a strangled laugh. The one on the left contained a stage covered with scantily-clad, female, humanoid, exotic dancers. They gyrated to the fast beat of the pounding music. The same sight greeted them from the sub-chamber on the right, except that this one featured male dancers. They were slowly removing their garments in time with the rhythm of the music. Han glanced at Leia. If she felt any shock or embarrassment, she gave no indication.

He guided her by the elbow to a small, round table, obviously made for humans. It was the perfect location, against the wall where he could see everything around them, including the doorway. He indicated for Leia to sit then took the other chair next to her. Han flagged down the Twi'lek server as she passed by. "Corellian Ale," he told her. He turned to Leia.

"What would you like?" She shook her head.

"Nothing, thank you." Han's attention returned to the server.

"She'll have whatever wine you're serving." Leia aimed an irritated scowl at him but said nothing.

Han noticed her eyes slipping in the direction of the male dancers. "See anything you like, Your Highness?" he asked with a devilish grin. Now he received what he preferred to think of as 'The Royal Death Glare.' He inclined his head in the opposite direction. "Or are the women more your type?"

As her eyes spewed venom, he added, "That would explain your resistance to my charm."

"Charm?" she echoed icily. "Chewie has more charm than you."

The comment stung slightly but Han refused to show it. "Yeah, but I'm a lot less hairy."

The Twi'lek arrived with their drinks and placed them on the table. Han took a sip of his ale then returned his attention to Leia.

"So, what is your type?"

"Excuse me?" She seemed genuinely confused by the question.

"Your type," he repeated.

"What kind of guy is your type?"

She blinked several times before her brow furrowed. "I don't know."

Now that he had brought it up, Solo really wanted to see where this might go. "How can you not know?"

"I've never thought about it." Her words sounded genuine.

"Well, think about it now."

When she gave no response, Han looked around them until his eyes lit on an older human male. He was almost completely bald and was smiling with a mouth that was missing a few teeth. He nudged Leia and nodded in his direction. "What about that guy? He your type?"

Leia surprised him by smiling. "Yes. He's exactly what I've been searching for my entire life." She rolled her eyes and sipped her wine. As she swallowed, she grimaced.

"Not the palace vintage?" Han asked with a mock-haughty air.

She smiled again and Han began to feel pretty good about the evening. He scanned the crowd again and gestured towards a Bothan who sat nearby.

"How 'bout him? Too furry?" Leia laughed softly and it sent a tingle down Han's spine.

"Just a bit," she answered, lips still quirked upwards.

"I guess the guy of your dreams is more princely than that." His heart beat a bit faster waiting for her response.

"Why so much interest in my type'?" she asked suspiciously.

He downed half of his ale. "Just curious. Don't princesses wanna marry princes?"

She searched her drink quietly before looking back at him. "I've never really given it a thought."

"Marriage? Or princes?"

"Neither." Her expression was wistful.

"Don't all women think about marriage?" he asked in a gentle voice.

"I suppose most do." She smiled wryly. "It hasn't exactly been the focus of my life."

"So, no prince for you?" he asked carefully.

That wry smile again. "I imagine if I had chosen a different path it might have been so." She paused briefly. "I suspect I've outgrown that lifestyle." She sipped her wine thoughtfully.

Han nodded, pleased. The Princess was not looking for some high class gentleman. He finished his ale and caught the server's eye to signal for another. "You want another drink?" he asked Leia.

"No, thank you." She was still nursing her first. "What about you?"

"What about me?" He was thinking about the curve of her lips and what her mouth might taste like.

"Is marriage in your future?"

Torn from his fantasy, it took him a moment to process the question. He laughed out loud. "I don't think so."

Her eyes were teasing. "No little Solos running around?"

As his ale was placed on the table in front of him, an image flashed in his mind: standing beside Leia, her belly swollen with his child. It felt at once sweet and terrifying and he dismissed it as completely insane. He sniffed derisively. "Definitely not." But the thought lingered in his mind no matter how he tried to chase it away. She swallowed the last of her wine and with a wave of his hand, Han silently ordered her another. She placed her chin in her hand and gazed at him levelly. "So, what's _your_ type, Flyboy?"

 _You_ , he almost blurted then decided he was done drinking for the night. He grinned. "Why do you want to know?" He thought he almost saw the beginnings of a blush creep into her cheeks but he wasn't quite sure.

"If you can ask the question, so can I."

Han smirked. What was his type? He had never really had a specific type. But he knew that right now, the woman sitting next to him was the only one on his mind. "I dunno," he finally growled quietly. "That Bothan is pretty cute." He nodded in his direction.

Leia shook her head with a smile as her second glass of wine was put in front of her. She gave the Twi'lek an odd look. Han took a look around them. In one corner table, there was a human male getting a bit too publicly intimate with a green humanoid female. He turned to Leia. "You ever been in a place like this before?"

She glanced around, brows raised. "Like this?" Her smile was ironic. "No, not like this."

"Well, don't say I don't take you to the classiest places," he drawled.

She sipped her drink with an amused smirk. "I've seen a lot of things these past three years that I never expected. Not much shocks me anymore." A dozen or so scenarios ran through his mind, all involving moments when he had shocked her with his comments or actions.

"I'll have to work harder then."

She feigned a dirty look in his direction. "I'm a little surprised Darin picked this place to meet. No wonder he was so adamant about me not coming alone."

Han had almost forgotten that this guy they were to meet was someone Leia knew well. He was less than pleased with the reminder. "So, how did you know this guy on Alderaan?" He tried to sound casual but wasn't sure he was pulling it off.

A small, private smile danced on her lips and Han felt that stab of jealousy again. "He's an old family friend."

Han nodded and hid his frown behind a well-placed hand. He watched her as she sipped her drink silently and her eyes roamed the room. Against his own better judgement, he continued his line of questioning. "How long has he been with the Navy?"

"The Alliance collaborated with my father to plant him ten years ago." Her eyes dulled slightly and Han felt guilty for bringing it up again. "Ten years as a plant? That's crazy." "As I said, he's given his life for the Rebellion." Han observed that deep admiration in the Princess' eyes again.

His questionable confidence wavered. His hand moved reflexively to touch his jacket pocket where the necklace rested safely inside. He pondered his chances with Leia for a moment. He couldn't claim to be some righteous do-gooder like this Alderaanian guy. Now that he thought about it, it seemed logical that a guy like that would be her type. But, Luke was that type of guy, and nothing had come of his huge crush on her. Frustrated, Han wondered why women had to be so blasted complicated. Leia was more complicated than most. And yet, in some ways, more simple. Her royal status certainly complicated things and set her out of his league. But, he had to admit, the woman did not play games. She was as straightforward as they came. It was one of the things he admired about her. And she sure as hell dropped herself down several notches to work side-by-side with the rest of them. Those were the times when he forgot she was a Princess. But then, he would see her heading off on one of her missions to acquire allies for the Rebellion. She would be dressed in something more formal and feminine and he would quickly be reminded. He enjoyed both sides of her equally. And maybe, if he were more straightforward, it might lead to something more…

When should he give her the necklace? He had to wait for the right time. He just wasn't sure when that time might be. He was new to this. He never had to work at getting a woman to like him. He noticed she had not touched her drink in several minutes. "You wanna get out of here?" She nodded with enthusiasm. "C'mon." He threw some credits on the table and led Leia out.


	5. Chapter 5: Wrong Romantic Evening

Hi, I want to apologize for the missing page breaks in the last post. They were there, then they disappeared. I even added them and reposted but they were still missing. I hope that this chapter has the page breaks. If not, anyone who knows what the problem is, I would greatly appreciate it if you would PM me and let me know. I know it's very annoying to read it like that :(

Happy Holidays, everyone!

It took some time before Leia realized they were not heading back in the direction of the hostel. It was full dark now and they were walking along a bank by the water. There were no bars or restaurants here and the only light was from the moon.

"Where are we going?" she asked Han.

"Someplace nice," he answered cryptically.

His words from earlier came back to her. _'Our first date.'_ It almost felt like one. Or what Leia imagined a date might be like. She was surprised by how much she was enjoying herself. It disturbed her on two levels: she shouldn't be having fun on a mission; and she shouldn't feel nervous, excited flutters in her stomach every time Han touched her. And he was touching her a lot. Taking her hand, putting his arm around her, his hand on her back… She didn't want to feel this way. What was wrong with her? This was Han. And she already knew that he was not the type of man she should be attracted to. If only he weren't so damned handsome.

They came upon a small dock that led to a short length of beach. Han guided her down the dock and, without a word, hopped down onto the sand.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking out the beach. C'mon." He held his hand out to her.

Leia hesitated then sighed in resignation. She knew that he would not come back up until he was good and ready. Sitting down on the edge of the dock, Leia prepared to hop down. Before she could move, Han placed his hands around her waist and pulled her into the air. Her stomach dropped as his eyes locked on hers. Her breath caught sharply in her throat and time seemed to slow down as Han lowered her very gently to the sand. As she slid the last few inches, her breasts grazed against the muscles of his body and a swift heat flew through her. Her breath was coming fast and her cheeks flamed, but she found it difficult to look away from him. An eternity seemed to pass as his dark, serious eyes shined by the moonlight into hers. A moment of dizziness and Leia returned to her senses. She took a quick step back, almost stumbling, and Han grabbed her arm.

"Careful, Princess," he said solemnly.

Eyes on the sand, she muttered, "I'm fine."

He placed a hand on her other arm, now holding her in  
place. "Are you sure?" His voice was a soft rumble.

Leia stood more firmly on the ground and perfected her haughtiest tone. "I'm perfectly fine. I can stand on my own." Could he hear the tremor in her voice?

Abruptly, his hands fell away from her. "Sorry, Your Worship," his voice charged with anger. "Next time I'll let you fall."

Leia was embarrassed. She hadn't meant to lash out at him. She felt her senses turned end over end and was unable to handle it.

Han turned away from her and began removing his boots and rolling up the bottoms of his pants to his knees.

She forced a gentle voice. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he grumbled without looking at her. He waded to the edge of the water as it lapped the shore, traces of footprints trailing behind him. It was low tide and the sea was almost still.

She waited for him to invite her to join him, but he said nothing. The air by the water was chilly and Leia hugged her arms around herself. A sudden, inexplicable loneliness seized her. She stood in place, cold and confused, until finally Han turned to look at her. She heard him swear softly and walk out of the water to the sound of droplets gently splashing. He was muttering low under his breath as he shrugged out of his jacket and placed it around Leia's shoulders. The gesture warmed her inside and out. "Thank you," she said quietly. It occurred to her suddenly that Han always took care of her. No matter what. Even if they were fighting like ra'naats and gokes, he came to her rescue in whatever way she needed.

He said nothing in return, just turned around and began scanning the sand floor. He stooped to pick up some small stones then turned to the water and started throwing them in methodically. The breeze blew his hair back and Leia thought it made him look younger.

She joined him at the edge of the water. "Do you know how to skip stones?" she asked quietly.

Without indicating he heard her, Han drew his hand back and tossed his last stone, making it skip four times across the surface of the water.

"You mean like that?" he asked tonelessly.

"Very good." She smiled up at him and saw him glance her way briefly. She bent down and picked up the nearest stone then skimmed it three times across the water.

"Not bad," Han said grudgingly. "But you didn't get four."

Leia could hear the tension decreasing in his voice. She picked up another stone but only managed to skip it twice. They took turns throwing stones but no matter how hard she tried, Leia could not beat Han's four skips. By the time they were done, they were both laughing, all hard feelings forgotten.

"We had a fountain on the Palace grounds," she told him. "When I was little, my father and I would skip coins. If you made a wish and your coin skipped four times, your wish would come true."

"What'd you wish for?"

"I don't remember," Leia dismissed. "But it was a fun tradition." She reigned in her unsteady emotions with a deep breath.

"I guess you didn't need to wish for much." Leia ignored the comment. Whenever Han brought up her privileged background it never ended well.

He gave her a sideways glance, a wicked grin dancing across his lips. "Wanna go skinny dipping?"

Leia aimed her best ' _You must be kidding me'_ look at him.

"I'll help you take your clothes off, if you want," he added.

Han Solo had the filthiest mind she had ever encountered. Or perhaps he was just the only one who had ever had the nerve to speak to her that way. "No, thank you."

"Okay," he countered. "You take your clothes off, I'll just watch."

Leia could never be sure how serious his comments were. He clearly loved to get a rise out of her. But nowadays, she had stopped reacting so strongly to him. Was he teasing? Or was he actually flirting with her. She had no idea. It was probably best not to know.

Han plopped down on the sand, arms resting on his raised knees. Leia remained standing and checked the chrono on her wrist comm.

"We should probably head back."

"What's the rush, Your Highness?"

Leia had no logical response. She was not use to down time. There was always so much to do.

He looked up at her. "Sit down. Relax for once."

The sincerity in his voice beckoned her. Had he spoken in that familiar, mocking tone, she would have declined. She sat next to him on the sand, careful to keep some distance between them.

"You still cold?" he asked.

Leia shook her head without looking at him. "No, I'm all right." She gazed up at the night sky glittered with stars and smiled wistfully. "When I was a little girl, I thought the sky was filled with jewels." Han was quiet and she could see from the corner of her eye that he was watching her. "I thought I could pilot a ship out there and collect them."

"What'd you think when you found out they were planets and stars?"

She smiled more broadly. "I wanted to visit them all."

For a minute, Han said nothing. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and reverent. "I always knew what they were. Or if I didn't, I don't remember." He smiled more softly than Leia had ever seen before. "I wanted to see 'em all too."

"Is that why you became a pilot?" Leia held her breath, not knowing if he would answer or crawl back into his self-imposed shell.

"One reason," he muttered, eyes on the sky above them.

"I can understand that. If I had a different life, I might have become a pilot as well."

His head turned in her direction. "If you wanted to be a pilot, you should've just done it."

Her smile was aslant. "I never had a choice of what I would become."

"Everyone has a choice."

"Not everyone."

"You made a choice, whether you realize it or not."

Leia thought his words through. She could see his point but didn't entirely agree with it. "Not really. I had responsibilities to my family, my planet, the galaxy. Choices didn't fit into that." The familiar, hollow pain numbed her. She had failed both her family and her planet. She couldn't fail the galaxy too.

"It was your choice to fill those responsibilities."

"You don't understand," she sighed. "You don't have a sense of responsibility."

The anger in his voice surprised her. "I'm responsible for you and this mission. Don't tell me I don't have a sense of responsibility."

Leia looked at him and recognized mild hurt in his eyes. She couldn't remember Han ever seeming hurt by her. Or anyone else, for that matter. She chose her words carefully.

"Of course you do. It's just on a smaller scale. What I meant was, it's different when you have an entire population expecting certain things from you. You can't shun those responsibilities."

"You gotta do what's best for you. You can't live to make other people happy." His voice held the familiar mercenary timbre that reminded her of their first conversation on board the Falcon, on the way to Yavin with the Death Star plans.

Leia sighed internally. Of course, he didn't understand. Han Solo was always out for number one: himself. It was the reason he refused to become an official member of the Alliance. She turned to face him.

"Is that what you do, Han?" she asked quietly.

"Damn right," he answered in a hard voice. Perhaps it was the casual nature of their evening, or the softening between them. Something prompted Leia to ask the question that had long gone unspoken. "Then why are you still with the Rebellion? Why did you decide to stay?" She kept her eyes on him as he turned to look at her. For a moment, Leia saw something exposed in Han's eyes. Longing and…something else that she could not define. And then it was gone, as if it had never been, and she wondered if she had imagined it.

He quickly closed up again. "I have my reasons."

"You're doing what's best for you?" she challenged.

"That's right." His brow furrowed before his countenance settled into apathy.

She wanted to question him further on the matter but knew that once he closed off, he stayed closed. They sat in companionable silence and Leia pondered how impossible Han Solo could be.

Unexpectedly, he stood and held out a hand to her. "We should get going."

Leia was filled with mild disappointment. For a while, she had forgotten that the weight of the galaxy was on her shoulders. Now it was time to return to reality. She took Han's hand and allowed him to help her stand. She told herself to ignore the warmth of his touch. He grabbed his boots, walked to the dock, and tossed them up. After climbing up himself, he put a hand out to Leia. She ignored it and scrambled up independently. She watched as he sat on the dock, smacked the sand from his feet, and pulled on his boots. He rolled down the legs of his pants then stood to face Leia.

"Do you want your jacket back?" she asked, gesturing to take it off.

"Keep it," he replied shortly. Morosely, he shoved his hands in his pockets and began the walk back to the hostel.

Walking beside him, Leia wondered what had caused his shift in mood. And why was she so disappointed that their evening was coming to an end?


	6. Chapter 6: Reflections

BONUS CHRISTMAS POST!

I won't have time tomorrow, so here is an extra post now. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

Han stood in the fresher and stared at his image in the reflector. What did Leia see when she looked at him? A handsome smuggler? A hero? An outlaw? He sighed deep in his chest.

He had so been looking forward to their evening together. But, it had been a swirling mass of confusion. One minute, he was certain Leia had feelings for him. The next, he was just as sure she didn't. The only thing he was more convinced of than ever was that he had feelings for her.

They had run the gamut tonight: excitement, irritation, intense attraction, jealousy, mild anger…

The intense attraction had been the most prominent. He had enjoyed her company immensely at dinner and the bar. On the beach, his desire to kiss her had been almost painful. He had seriously considered it after he lifted her off the dock and onto the sand. The way she looked at him, eyes wide, lips parted…he could barely think. Just as he was about to impulsively lower his mouth to hers, she had taken a brisk step away from him and stumbled. When he moved to help, the anger in her voice shattered the mood.

Han never understood women. There were moments when he thought he had a handle on Leia. But, then she confounded him again.

He turned and leaned against the basin, arms crossed over his bare chest. Maybe this was all wishful thinking on his part. Maybe a Princess would never consider a guy like him. That had been his first instinct three years ago during the trip to Yavin.

Back then, Leia's appearance was exactly what he would expect of a Princess. Delicate in form, dressed in a proper white gown, regal bearing. But, as soon as she opened her mouth she had surprised him. She was not what anyone would expect of a Princess. With that sarcastic, biting tongue, she had grabbed Luke's blast rifle like a pro, squeezed off a few shots, and blasted open the garbage chute. Han had been stunned. And not much stunned Han Solo.

She impressed him. Until she started ordering him around, and then she just pissed him off.

But, he had quickly come to admire the way she unflaggingly forged ahead, no matter the obstacles. She never pulled rank, she fought in the trenches with the rest of them, and was never afraid to get her hands dirty. She was unflinchingly brave. Or foolhardy. He wasn't sure which of the two. But, then again, the same had often been said about him.

So, while he had dismissed the idea of some sort of romantic endeavor with the Princess, he eventually came to realize that she was not the same person he had met on the Death Star. After all, her only friends were a farm boy from Tatooine, a Wookiee, and a smuggler with a very questionable past. And, although she could put on airs as needed, her regal demeanor had humbled.

She had outgrown her old 'lifestyle,' as she had put it tonight. That was a point in his favor. Wasn't it?

Now, they would be going to sleep, her on the bed, him on the sofa. If tonight had gone differently, would he be joining her in the bed? His lips quirked upwards. He doubted it.

Han slid off his pants and replaced them with black, tight-fitting sleep shorts. He smiled to himself at the memory of the first time Leia had seen him wearing them. Several months after the Death Star battle, when the hostility of their interactions had hit a high point, they had journeyed to the moon of Arctus. Leia and Luke were asleep in the crew quarters and Han had woken up first. He hadn't given a thought to what he was wearing as he headed to the fresher. He paused to lean in the doorway of the crew quarters and his eyes rested on the Princess' sleeping form. As he watched her, her eyelids fluttered open and she met his gaze. At first, her eyes were heavy-lidded and peaceful. Slowly, she focused on him more fully, her face flushed darkly and her expression turned to fury and mortification. Han suddenly became aware of his state of undress.

 _'_ _Excuse me, Captain,' she gritted between clenched teeth. 'I suggest you put on some clothes.'_

Han had chuckled loudly. _'Enjoying the view, Sweetheart?'_

Leia had bounded from the bunk, grabbed her robe from the small table nearby, and stormed out of the crew quarters.

The memory still amused him. He had so enjoyed shocking her and inflaming her anger. It was way too easy to get a rise out of her.

He wondered why he was he feeling so nervous. He wanted to go back out there, grab her, pull her close against him, and kiss away any protests she might make. But he knew he wasn't going to do that. With a resigned sigh, Han picked up his pants off the floor and palmed open the refresher door.

He kept his eyes on the floor and tossed his pants in a pile. He noticed that Leia had already put a pillow and blanket on the sofa for him. He felt strangely self-conscious standing there, half-naked and ready for bed. He sat on the sofa and finally looked to Leia, sitting up in bed. She was dressed in a light blue robe. It was fastened up to her neck and Han assumed she had some type of sleep garment under it. She had put her hair in a tight bun on top of her head. A datareader was in her hand and as he watched her, he saw her glance at him before her eyes quickly returned to the reader before her. Had he not been watching her so closely, he might have missed it. He observed Leia for another minute, not certain what exactly he was waiting for. Finally, he laid back on the pillow and swung his legs up on top of the blanket. He placed his hands behind his head, too restless to sleep.

Leia's voice broke the silence. "I had a nice time tonight." She had never sounded so timid before.

Han's eyes shot to her. She was looking at him with a cautious smile. He sat up. "Me too."

Her laughter was like a soft bell. "I don't remember the last time I could say that."

Han nodded. Every nerve in his body ached to close the distance between them and join her on the bed. He almost cracked a joke about sleeping together but realized it was a horrible idea and stayed quiet.

"Back to business tomorrow," Leia said grimly.

Han realized that tonight might have been his only chance with Leia. "Yeah," he replied weakly. They were going to be preoccupied during the rest of this trip. And then they would meet the Rebels on Hoth and who knew when Han would get her alone again.

Awkward silence ensued. Han heard movement from the bed and recognized the sound of Leia placing her datareader on the bedside table.

"Good night, Han," she called softly.

Han laid back on his pillow as Leia turned off the lights. He tried to think of something clever to say but came up empty. "G'night, Princess."

The silence in the room seemed deafening and Han lay for hours, agitated.


	7. Chapter 7: The Big News

Sipping his ale, Han carefully watched everything at once. The Sweet Spot was more crowded than the night before and it put him on edge. He glanced at Leia sitting to his left. She looked tense as well. How much of that had to do with the mission, he was not sure. All day Han had been feeling melancholy and quiet. When Leia tried to make conversation, his replies had been terse. He knew the tension between them was his fault and yet he couldn't snap out of his ornery mood.

Now, they were about to meet with this guy from Leia's past. That only added to his grouchiness.

"There he is," Leia said suddenly.

Standing in the doorway, one hand poised near the blaster at his hip, was a man about the same age as Solo. His dark blond hair was short on the sides and swept to the side above eyes that scanned the crowded room. They rested on Leia and Han saw a flicker of recognition but the man did not otherwise acknowledge her. His clothes were nondescript. Han would never have pegged him as Imperial.

He made a deliberate, slow stride to their table and Leia stood to greet him. They hugged warmly and Han grimaced.

"It's been too long." Darin held her at arm's length and looked her up and down.

"It has," Leia agreed. She smiled up at him, eyes shining.

Han stood to his full height and was pleased to note that Darin was a head shorter than him.

Leia gestured in Han's direction. "This is Captain Solo."

Darin offered his hand and Han had no choice but to shake it. Hard. The man didn't flinch.

"Good to meet you," he said to Han. "I trust anyone working with Leia."

 _Wish I could say the same,_ Han thought caustically. He said nothing, just returned to his seat, one hand on his blaster, the other draped across the back of Leia's chair. They both joined him at the table and Darin placed his hand over Leia's.

"The last time I saw you, you were a child," Darin told Leia. "You've grown into a beautiful woman."

Han kept his expression neutral but mentally rolled his eyes. Was that comment really necessary?

Leia ignored the compliment. "How have you been getting by?"

He shrugged diffidently. "It's really hard at times. I think the hardest part is being so alone."

He was still holding the Princess' hand, much to Han's annoyance.

Leia nodded, sympathy in her eyes. "I can't even imagine. What you're doing is so brave and noble.

Han thought he might throw up. Couldn't they move this little transaction along already?

Darin smiled slightly. "Thank you. But if I was determined when I first started, after what they did to Alderaan…" He shook his head quickly. "I have no choice now." He averted his eyes for a moment then looked back to Leia. "Is it true? Were you really there?"

Leia's eyes turned steely and she nodded. Han knew very well that she rarely talked about it if someone brought it up.

"Do you have the datacard?" she asked, finally removing her hand from his.

Han knew it was easier for her to focus on business rather than let past heartbreak consume her.

Darin leaned forward conspiratorially and lowered his voice. "I have a datacard. But there's been a change of plans."

Han's naturally suspicious nature clued in. "What kinda change?"

Darin's expression was grim. "The fleet construction is a front. Something else is going on."

Han glanced at Leia and saw her eyes narrow. He had a bad feeling about this.

"What are you talking about?" she asked in a harsh tone.

Darin reached in his pocket and Han was aware that he pulled out something small and was concealing it in his palm. He took Leia's hand again and pretended to clasp it in affection while he slipped it into her hand.

Giving no indication of the transaction, Leia casually placed her hands in her lap and slipped the item into the pocket of her pants.

"What's going on?" Han asked Darin. His voice was not friendly.

Darin looked at Han and Leia in turn, his expression grim. "This is what I know: in the guise of doubling the Imperial Fleet, the Emperor has ordered a new project and he's funneling the funds allocated for the Fleet into that project."

"What's the project?" Han was sure this was very bad news. It had to be a bigger threat than the entire Imperial Fleet, whose firepower was massive.

Darin shook his head. "I haven't been able to get that information. My hope is that the Alliance can analyze the data on that card and figure it out. It includes a budget, a list of suppliers and a work order. But it's all encrypted. I don't have the resources to break the encryption."

Han could see the gears turning in Leia's head, even while her expression was deeply troubled. She turned to Han.

"We need to get to the base and get this analyzed." She paused. "Dammit," she swore softly. "I have to meet the contact tomorrow. There's no way to get in touch with him. And he needs to know about this."

"So, we'll take off as soon as we say 'hi' and 'bye,'" Han replied gruffly.

Leia nodded. "Han, let's get to the ship. I need to get a message to Mon Mothma."

The Falcon was the only way they could send a message safely. He and Leia stood at the same time and Darin rose as well. Leia placed a hand on Darin's chest.

"Be safe."

"You too." He put his arms around her and held her long enough to test Han's patience. Without a glance at Darin, Han grabbed Leia's hand possessively and pulled her to the door.


	8. Chapter 8: Comforting Arms

A private little moment before things get tough for our favorite couple! Thank you to everyone reading :)

Han found Leia sitting at the Falcon's main computer console. She had been very quiet in the hovercar on the way to the docking bay. She sat slumped in her seat, looking defeated.

"You okay?" Han asked from behind her. It occurred to him that he was spending a lot of time on this mission asking the Princess if she was okay. And she was spending a lot of time saying she was before admitting she wasn't.

She seemed to jerk out of her thoughts. She turned slightly but did not look at Han. "Yes," she lied unconvincingly.

Han stood in place for a moment, contemplating what to do. He walked closer and leaned against the bulkhead, watching her.

"You sent the message?"

Leia nodded, eyes downcast. Han suppressed a deep sigh. Why did he have to care so much?

He knelt down on one knee beside her. "Hey," he called softly. She turned to face him and the abject misery in her eyes tore at his heart. "Let's not play this game where you pretend that you're just fine and I have to pry it out of you that you're not. Just tell me you're not okay."

She stared at him, surprised and sad. "All right," she said quietly, looking down at her hands as she anxiously rubbed one thumb with the other. She raised her head to look at him again. "I'm not okay. I'm upset. I'm worried. I feel like a failure." Her voice was growing louder in the quiet of the docked ship.

Han took in all of what she was saying. It took a lot to send Leia towards the edge like this. "Okay," he replied rationally. "Upset and worried I understand. But failure? In what way are you a failure?"

She remained quiet for a time and Han's knee was starting to hurt. Just as he contemplated standing up, her voice came quietly. "Every time I think we've made some progress against the Empire, we take another hit. And in the end, we haven't really made any progress at all."

Han tried to conjure something positive to say. "Every little bit of progress is a victory."

She gave him the tiniest of crooked smiles. "Han Solo, how philosophical of you."

He rolled his eyes in response. "I still don't see how any of this makes you a failure."

She sighed. "Whatever project the Emperor is working on…" She paused and sighed again, shaking her head. "If it's capable of anything like the Death Star…" She trailed off into silence.

Han was having trouble following her train of thought. Leia was generally more logical than other women he had known. However, at the moment, the wires were crossing but no connection was being made.

Suddenly, Leia stood and took several steps away from Han. She crossed her arms over her chest, not facing him. Happy to finally stand up, Han went behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He waited silently.

"It wasn't supposed to happen again," she said in a small voice.

Finally, Han understood. She was blaming herself when they didn't even know the details. He leaned close to her ear and spoke softly. "You don't even know that it is."

"Whatever it is, it's going to be bad. We blew up the Emperor's favorite toy. Now he's going to build something better." Her voice was bitter.

"Sweetheart, you can't blame yourself for that."

"Can't I?"

Han turned her to face him. She was pliant in his grip. "You've worked your ass off for the Rebellion," he told her roughly. "I've never seen anyone push themselves as hard as you do. If it wasn't for you, the Death Star would still be around."

She exhaled in frustration. "You don't understand."

"Don't sell me short, Sweetheart. I understand more than you think I do."

She stared at him hard. Her eyes dropped to the vicinity of his chest. "After the Death Star…I just thought we would have accomplished more by now. I thought _I_ would have accomplished more."

"What're you?" Han asked in a low tone. "A one-woman army?" She looked back at him, clearly irritated. He continued before she could interrupt. "Look, I get that you feel some sense of responsibility for all of the Rebellion. It's delusional, but I get it."

Leia's eyes turned to shards of ice and her mouth opened with that looked he had only ever seen aimed at him. He cut her off before she could admonish him.

"But you need a reality check here. You're up against the Empire. The Rebellion's resources are a fraction of that. It's a miracle you've done as much damage as you have."

Her expression began to soften slightly but her eyes remained stormy.

"But," Han said, "With Echo Base, you'll be able to increase your resources, hide out while you make new allegiances, and make plans without having to defend against the Empire."

"And what if I can't stop the Emperor? What if he finds a new way to obliterate entire planets of people at the press of a button?" She looked Han in the eyes and he couldn't be certain, but he thought he saw a shimmer of tears in hers. She pressed her lips into a hard line.

In that moment, Han felt he would promise her anything to make her smile. He placed a gentle hand across her cheek. "Don't worry, Princess. Whatever it is we're going up against, we'll take it down."

Her eyes closed and they both stood frozen in time. Han saw one single tear fall from her lashes and it did him in. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. For a moment, Leia remained stiff and awkward in the circle of his arms. Then she leaned into him, soft and yielding, and Han melted a little. She placed her hands on his chest and he stroked her back soothingly.

It seemed forever to Han that they stood, locked together, and he didn't think anything had ever felt as good as having Leia in is his arms. She finally withdrew and wiped away the one damp tear that had fallen. She offered him a small smile, although her eyes were still sad.

"We?" she asked him.

Han's brow furrowed. "Huh?"

"You said ' _we_ ' will take it down. Are you part of the Alliance now?" She looked pleased.

Torn, Han took a moment to answer. "I, uh, guess I sorta am," he admitted.

Her smile grew slightly. "I'm happy to hear that."

 _I'm_. _Finally_ , thought Han. He remembered the necklace still sitting in his jacket pocket. But, no, this was not the right time. Yes, it might cheer her up but, she was too vulnerable. If anything happened between them, he didn't want it to be because she was in an overly emotional state. He didn't want to leave any room for regrets.

Her smile faded and she sighed. "Let's go. I'm exhausted."

He placed a hand on her back, wishing he could hold her in is arms again. "It'll be okay," he reassured her.

Leia nodded without looking at him. She shook her head as if to clear it. "It has to be," she said fiercely.

Han could see that her apprehension and doubts had passed. She was, once again, the vital, tireless woman who met the galaxy with a battle stance of both body and spirit.


	9. Chapter 9: Princess in Distress

Wow, only one chapter left after this. That went fast. But next I will be posting the conclusion of this trilogy called "Reversal." The order is Mission Misfire, Foreign Territory, Permanence. Permanence will be the next fic that I will post soon. It starts right before ROTJ and ends soon after the end of the film, with all the missing moments in between. It also wraps up a significant theme from this trilogy. Thank you to everyone reading alone, hope you enjoy this chapter :)

Staying concealed between a stack of shipping crates and the warehouse behind them, Han and Leia waited with blasters in hand. Watching the dock by the waterfront, they were grim and silent in the darkness. Han glanced at Leia. She was waiting for some signal from her contact. Han wanted this over with already. She had been more anxious today than he had ever seen her. He knew she was itching to get to Echo Base to have the datacard analyzed.

Han was starting to get a cramp in his leg but did not want to risk any movement. If Leia was experiencing any discomfort, she gave no sign.

Nothing had gone as expected on this mission. Not the mission itself, and not his hopes for anything with Leia. The journey to Hoth would give him no chance…she was too hyped up about the new information. He didn't blame her. She had every reason to be. But, with all that was going on, the young woman at his side was still the first thing on his mind. As had been the case, he found it hard to concentrate on anything else when she was near.

He tried not to feel too disappointed. Since he was staying with the Rebellion, he had plenty of time. And they _had_ gotten closer on this mission, had shared some moments that strengthened their bond of friendship.

It wasn't enough for Han. It only made him want her more. But, he was no closer to knowing her feelings. The same ambiguity dappled their interactions. This to and fro with Leia was confusing. He wished he could just directly confront her about her feelings. He had never wavered like this before.

He realized that his hesitation stemmed from a fear that she would reject him. And he hated to admit it, but that would actually hurt. This was the reason Han had always avoided close relationships. Chewie was the one exception and it had taken Solo long enough to accept that the big furball was here to stay.

The realization made him feel vulnerable, something he hadn't felt in a long time and absolutely hated. Admitting his feelings to Leia would give her the power to affect him too profoundly. He needed to be certain that his feelings would be reciprocated.

A rough, female voice rang out suddenly from the darkness.

"I know you're here! I came alone and I'm not armed!"

Han glanced at Leia, who looked bewildered. She had said they were meeting a male contact. Perhaps this person was looking for someone else.

"Organa?" the voice called. Now there was little doubt.

Han nudged Leia and they crept from the shadows, blasters aimed and ready. The moonlight revealed a dark, humanoid figure with hands raised. As they moved closer, Han saw that the figure was a blue-skinned, female Twi'lek dressed in black, her lekku pointing straight down her back.

Leia's voice was hard and commanding. "Who are you?"

The Twi'lek's voice was almost friendly. "Jarron couldn't make it so he sent me."

Han did not like this one bit. "What'd he send you to do?" he asked suspiciously.

"Retrieve the datacard, of course." She began to lower her hands.

Before Han could say a word, Leia's voice rang out. "Keep them up!"

Her hands went back over her head. "You can contact Jarron if you'd like. He'll confirm it." She nodded downwards. "There's a comm in my pocket, set to his frequency."

Han knew this was some sort of trick. Since Leia didn't know this contact, a confirmation would mean nothing. At this point, it didn't matter. Jarron was probably dead. Now they had to get the hell out of here and get to the Falcon.

"Just stay where you are," Han ordered. "We don't need to confirm a damn thing."

In the near darkness, the blast of a laserbolt brightened and scorched the wooden slats by Han's feet. Not one to be taken by surprise, he spun his blaster in the direction it had come from with the speed he was well known for. His other hand pushed Leia back out of range. He could see nothing in the dark beyond until another bolt came crashing from the darkness, barely missing his head by a fraction. The scent of singed hair wafted in the air.

From the corner of his eye, Han detected movement. As he sought cover, he became aware the Twi'lek had produced a blaster. With startling speed, Leia leapt forward with a high kick that knocked the blaster from her hand.

As laser blasts rained down from the northeast, Han returned it to the best of his ability but could not find the source. He let loose a barrage of fire to keep the target in place.

Leia was now involved in hand-to-hand combat with the Twi-lek. Han wondered where Leia's blaster had ended up. It was too dark to see it.

The source of the blasts was moving closer. Han heard a pained cry from Leia and was seized with panic. He risked a glance in her direction and saw that the Twi'lek held her from behind, a small vibroblade at her throat. He struggled internally for a moment, aiming blaster fire at his target, then turning his blaster on the Twi'lek. It was a risk he had no choice but to take.

"Don't move, Solo," the Twi'lek spat.

Han's stomach dropped and his heart beat faster. He raised his hands in the air. "Okay, I'm not moving. Let her go." The blaster fire had ceased.

"Blaster on the ground!" she ordered.

Han tossed the blaster away from him. He looked at Leia's face and saw anger and determination in her eyes, not the paralyzing fear he currently felt.

A loud, whooshing sound approached quickly from Han's right and suddenly Boba Fett, Jabba the Hutt's trusted bounty hunter, landed on the dock and extinguished his jett pack. His blaster was trained on Han and understanding hit Solo like a meteor.

His luck had run out. But, blast it, why did this have to happen when Leia was with him?

Heart pounding, one eye on Leia and one eye on Fett, Han gazed at the bounty hunter with outward calm.

"All right, Fett, you got me. I'm guessing you're after the bounty Jabba has out for me."

Fett's mechanically modulated voice filtered through his mask. "You're still a fast thinker, Solo."

Han smirked. "So, how much can I give you to forget you saw me?"

Fett's laugh was brief and harsh. "You don't have those kinds of credits. Any idea how high the price on your head is?"

Han was afraid to ask.

Fett inclined his head toward the Twi'lek. "Take her with you. I'm sure she's worth a lot to the Empire. I'll deal with her after I deliver Solo."

Han's mind raced. His own safety was an afterthought, but he had to get free to rescue Leia. He watched as the Twi'lek maneuvered Leia toward the dock, the vibroblade still at her throat. They made their way across the dock and disappeared into the darkness, but Han could hear the Twi'lek ordering Leia into a waterskimmer. He heard a motor start and after a moment, it began to fade into the distance.

 _Dammit!_ He had to get to Leia! He turned toward Fett, thinking furiously. He had to calm the fear in his heart, it would only get them both killed if he acted with haste.

Fett gestured with his blaster. "Move."

Han smiled. "Can't we talk about this? You know me, Fett." He was stalling and Fett probably knew it.

"Move!" He took a step closer to Han.

Solo knew that Jabba probably wanted him alive, so shooting Han would be Fett's last resort.

"All right, all right," Han replied with a congenial sabaac-face. His heart was in his throat and his stomach sank deeper with every moment that Leia moved further away.

But, stepping within arms' length of Han had been Fett's one mistake. The man who arguably had the fastest draw in the galaxy had reflexes to match. Han took two steps in the direction Fett had indicated and, more quickly than Fett could register, spun in his direction and grabbed the barrel-shaped end of his blaster.

Fett emitted a filtered gasp of surprise as Han levered the blaster up in the air. Fett recovered quickly and they locked into a battle over the blaster, Fett trying to pull it down toward Solo, Han trying to pull it over Fett's head.

Without warning, Fett bashed Han in the forehead with his helmet and he saw stars. It almost stunned him, but his thoughts of Leia were desperate. He lost an inch or so of leverage with the blaster but he kept his footing. The action only inflamed Han's anger and determination, and from somewhere deep down he found a new surge of strength. The blaster cleared Fett's head and discharged several wild shots.

He heard the bounty hunter grunt with effort and Han knew he had him. He finally wrenched the blaster free, jumped back and laid a well-placed kick to Fett's midsection. The armor protected his flesh but the impact sent him down with a curse. Han knew that a blaster bolt couldn't penetrate the Mandalorian armor; he needed to do something quickly to incapacitate him.

Han aimed his blaster and shot Fett directly in his faceplate. The bounty hunter's scream of outrage gave Han a burst of pure pleasure. In one fast move, Han pulled the startled Fett around and away from him on the ground. He let loose a barrage of laserfire straight into his jett pack, rendering it useless.

Han stuck the blaster in the holster at his hip. His feet pounded furiously on the dock towards the water and he was thrilled to see two waterskimmers below. Without stopping, he hurled himself into the nearest skimmer, landing with a hard thud on his right arm. He ignored the pain, jumped up, and blasted the controls to the accompanying skimmer. He turned, ripped open the panel at the controls of his own skimmer, pulled out the wires, and sparked three together. The engine roared to life. The skimmer lurched forward, almost throwing Han off balance. He grabbed the throttle, pushed it to top speed, and gripped the side tightly.

Panic set in. Han had no idea in what direction Leia had been taken. He glided the skimmer straight ahead and hoped for the best.

A minute later and nothing in sight, Han fought feelings of dread. Then, like a beacon in the darkness, he saw lights careening ahead in the water to the left. Face frozen in the torrid wind, Solo guided his skimmer to the left and began gaining on the lights, desperately hoping they would lead him to Leia.

As he got closer, Han felt a rush of relief when he recognized the blue lekku of the Twi'lek driving the skimmer. Where was Leia? He didn't see her. Fear took hold of him and he tried to clamp it down and focus.

The Twi'lek finally realized he was gaining and increased her speed. He wouldn't be able to catch up, he was going at top speed already. He whipped out Fett's stolen blaster and aimed with one hand while he steered with the other. With the wind whipping through him, it was not going to be the easiest shot of his life. Where the hell was Leia?

With trepidation, Han prepared to make the shot, a suddenly remembered Corellian prayer running through his head.

Just before he squeezed the trigger, something in the skimmer flew up and bashed the Twi'lek in the chest, knocking her over the side and into the water. The skimmer quickly left her behind then slowed with no one at the throttle.

Han registered this with shock, his mouth falling open in confusion. Before he could question it, Leia popped up from the bottom of the skimmer, struggling to stand with her hands bound behind her back.

He whooped with glee and his body sagged with relief. He pulled his skimmer alongside the one that held Leia. It had slowed to a crawl and it was an easy feat for Solo to hop from his to the other.

Once inside, he grabbed the throttle with one hand and Leia with the other. He hugged her tightly to him as he sped up and steered away from where the Twi'lek had fallen into the water. His heart was pounding fiercely. Couldn't Leia hear it? Grateful relief flowed through him. He had never been so happy to see someone as he had been when Leia appeared in that skimmer.

He was still clinging to her when he heard her growl, "Get these blasted binders off me!"

He grinned to himself. That was his Princess. She never flinched in the eye of danger. "Sorry, Sweetheart," he yelled over the skimmer's engine. "I don't have the tools. You'll have to wait till we get to the Falcon."

He heard her swear into the wind. It was one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard.


	10. Chapter 10: Hothward Bound

The final chapter! Thank you for reading along :) Next up is the last fic in the trilogy, Permanence. I will start posting it next week.

The soft lights of the instrument panel lit the Falcon's cockpit in a faint glow. The environmental controls were set to night, synced with Bar Shintok's daily cycle.

Leia had said nothing on their way to the docking bay. Once inside the Falcon, she demanded he cut off the binders immediately. After that they had brought up the engines and gotten the hell off Ord Mantell as quickly as possible. Leia had silently fled the cockpit immediately after. Han set course for the Hoth system, where they were scheduled to help continue setting up the new Rebel Base.

A hollow feeling settled in Han's stomach. He was going to have to leave the Rebellion. It was the last thing he wanted to do right now. It was bad enough that the price on his head was so high and his life was in more danger than ever. Far worse, he had put Leia's life in danger. And although she put herself in the line of fire all the time, he could not be the cause of harm to her.

He didn't think he had ever been so scared in his life as when he saw that vibroblade at Leia's throat. She had been in danger before but this time had been different. Guilt nagged him. It was all his fault. He knew that contributed to the extremity of his reaction.

He searched his feelings, something that was rare for Han Solo. The thought of anything happening to Leia had terrified him. It was not a feeling he was familiar with. He realized, with a sweeping feeling of surrender, that his feelings for the Princess were deeper than he had admitted to himself. Was he falling in love?

Han dismissed the idea but it continued to linger. It was of little consequence now. He couldn't stay. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe nothing would've come of it anyway.

But, he found the thought of saying goodbye to Leia very upsetting. He wanted to kiss her just one time before he left, releasing all the pent-up feelings of the past three years. But, if she submitted to the feelings he suspected…how could he leave?

He would probably never see her again. Hell, he might not even escape Jabba's palace alive. Jabba had to be furious to offer such a large sum for Han's capture. And he was not known for his benevolence. He would want to punish Han for eluding him for so long. And, very likely kill him. But he couldn't keep running. And he could not put Leia's life at risk again.

He had to tell her he was leaving and explain why. He left the cockpit and found her in the medical bay, tending to bruises on her wrists from the binders. In the rush, Han hadn't realized she was hurt.

"You need help?" he asked, concerned.

She looked at him, eyes like twin shards of steel. Han's life had been threatened many times over. Yet, no one had ever looked at him with such malice. Her attention returned to the bacta gel she was slathering on her bruises.

"What?" Han asked, uncertain as to why he was on the receiving end of that look. When she ignored him, Han placed a hand on her arm. She whirled to face him.

"Do you realize what you almost did?" She was seething.

He wasn't sure how to respond. He had almost gotten her throat cut, almost gotten her handed over to the Empire, almost gotten himself captured…so many choices.

When he just stared at her, her expression became incredulous. "What if I'd been killed?"

Han was mildly surprised. "I wasn't going to let anything happen to you," he soothed.

She looked at him as if he were crazy. "You don't even realize, do you?"

He was starting to get annoyed and wished she would just get to the point. "Realize what?" he asked in exasperation.

Leia's hands balled into fists and planted at her hips. "If I hadn't gotten away, the datacard would've been lost."

For a moment, Han had no idea what she was saying. His mind was so preoccupied that he couldn't process it. Then it hit him. The Rebellion. Of course.

Never mind that he had almost been captured and killed. Or that she had almost been taken as a prize to be handed to the Emperor. The Rebellion came first. Always.

"Sorry, Your Worship," he sneered. "I was a little more concerned about my life. And yours." What had he been thinking about falling in love? He must have been high on leftover adrenaline.

She shook her head and stood in her most haughty stance. "You'll never change."

Han snorted derisively and took a step closer to her, leaning down to get in her face. "Neither will you!" He didn't even know what he was saying. He was far too angry. How did she manage to entice him one minute and infuriate him the next?

They stood, their faces close together, anger smoldering between them. It only bolstered Han's fury that she looked beautiful with rage in her eyes.

Leia's expression grew cold. "If you'll excuse me, Captain, I have better things to do than stand here and argue with you."

He realized he was blocking her exit. A spiteful part of him wanted to stay firmly in place, but he was aware of how childish that would be. He struggled for a scathing retort, but for once he came up empty. Instead, he stepped aside and gestured towards the exit with a flourish. "After you, Your Holiest Highnessness," he spat venomously.

Head held high, the Princess stomped from the med bay. Han's eyes shot daggers at her back as she disappeared into the corridor.

 _Ungrateful shrew._ But Solo's anger was already beginning to fade. He wanted to hold onto it tightly and let it overshadow the tender feelings she inspired in him. If he could just hate her enough, he wouldn't have to like her.

He sighed. Why was it so hard to hate her? And yet, it was so easy to want her.

It no longer mattered. Soon, they would arrive on Hoth. Chewie and he would get the Falcon in tip-top shape and then they would soar away from the Rebels and never look back.

It was just a matter of time. And soon, Han would forget all about the Princess. It had been a ridiculous dream anyway. A Princess and a guy like him?

It'd never happen.

END


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